back to the ends of the test bed. It would do this with very low D/d ratio on shackles and in the eyes of hooks that the rope was spliced into, at values approaching 1.5/1. Tat is when we started thinking about the safety of miners on mobile equipment.” But getting the mining companies to accept this new, more
expensive, replacement for time-tested materials was difficult, to say the least. “Our first approach was to present our exciting findings with the purchasing agents, but they did not care how the rope would break and fail much safer than wire rope or chain at those prices,” notes Farmer. It also didn’t help that “we were also trying to introduce a material that their contract and historically connected suppliers did not have or understand yet.” As Farmer concludes, “we just understood a lot about the need for these HMPE fiber ropes in a mining application that the manufacturers had not seen or completely understood.” “Miners are working close to heavy loads and mobile material handling equipment (in-by), and wire rope and chain fail, generally, from misuse and shock loads in retrieval of this stuck or derailed equipment”, Farmer explains. “We had what the miners needed, we just couldn’t get it in service.” Ten the high profile injuries, due to the use of wire rope and chain in the mines, became more and more of an important focus to ‘fix’ among all of the coal operators in West Virginia. “Tis was the perfect opportunity to approach these operators from a safety perspective and to begin a long educational process” Farmer explained. With the operators need for higher safety standards, Rouster started getting serious about finding ways to replace all wire rope and chain, wherever possible, in any mining application, and explaining this to the safety coordinators and mentors at the mines.
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Rouster first needed some help getting in the industry, and that led to teaming up with Lee Supply, Inc., in Charleroi, PA. “Mike and David Lee’s great team, especially Regis Satina and Sam Seaman, had the connections and have proved themselves a leader in the mining industry over the years with a number of engineered products” Farmer states. Being the leader in the supply of HDPE (high density polyethylene) piping and fabrication, the HMPE fiber rope was a good fit. Lee did the selling and Rouster provided the engineering and fabrication, a successful relationship that thrives to this day. “I owe Lee Supply a lot of credit for the success and acceptance of HMPE ropes in the mining industry and this award in particular,” admits Farmer. “We have some great distributing partners but Lee made it happen.” Te National Mine Health & Safety Academy, located in Beaver,
WV, just down the road from Rouster Wire Rope & Rigging, is where every mine inspector in the U.S., no matter if it’s hard rock, soft rock, phosphate, granite, or coal, is trained and recertified. “We went there several years and exhibited and trained at the TRAM conference (which began the process of federal and state mine inspectors), understanding the safety benefits and use issues that would help accomplish exactly what their mission was - to promote and improve the safety of our mines. We really wanted the inspectors
Dr. Stephen J. Kopp, president of Marshall University; Chuck Farmer; recipient of the Equipment Innovation Award; and Homer Hickam, West Virginia native and bestselling author of “Rocket Boys”
2012 MINER’S CELEBRATION AWARD FOR EQUIPMENT INNOVATION
Chuck Farmer, President of Rouster Wire Rope & Rigging, was nominated and awarded recognition for Innovation in equipment safety at this year’s Miner’s Celebration. According to the Annual Miner’s Celebration committee, the “Because of You” Award presented to Rouster Wire Rope & Rigging was a result of a nomination due to the fact that “this [Rouster’s integration of HMPE 12 rope] has been one of the greatest safety accomplishments to come to our industry in years. We are experiencing no more chains breaking and shrapnel flying through the air, no more wire ropes breaking and hitting bystanders, and no more burrs in employees’ hands.”
24 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2013
ABOUT THE ANNUAL MINER’S CELEBRATION
The 2012 Miners’ Celebration was held at the historic Tamarack in Beckley, West Virginia on October 4, 2012, and was presented by Marshall University-CEGAS, the WV Coal Association, the WV Department of Energy, Office of Coalfields Community Development; the National Coal Heritage Area, the United Mineworkers of America, and Strategic Solutions LLC. The 2012 Miners’ Celebration was the third event held to honor the past, present and future of the mining industry. It serves to highlight the thousands of individuals who work in the mining
WIRE ROPE EXCHANGE
industry and the key roles of those who contribute significantly to each ton of coal produced.
ABOUT ROUSTER WIRE ROPE & RIGGING
Rouster Wire Rope and Rigging, located just outside of Beckley, West Virginia, was established in 1993 by owner/president Chuck Farmer, and has quickly established a reputation as a one of the industry’s most reliable, affordable and knowledgeable companies.
For more information on Rouster Wire Rope & Rigging, please visit:
http://www.rousterwrr.com
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